Changes
by shadowglove
Summary: Things in Mystic Falls are changing ever since Stefan left, and somehow Caroline knows that this isn't the last they've seen of Klaus...but she's too caught up with Tyler and the changes in their relationship to be prepared for Klaus' return or his plans


**Disclaimer: Don't own Vampire Diaries**

**Warning: SPOILERS for SEASON TWO.**

**Pairings: Caroline/Tyler, Damon/Elena, Katherine/Stefan, Bonnie/Jeremy**

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"You really need to stop pushing your luck every full moon." Tyler whispered hoarsely, body still shivering from the aftershocks of the change. He was naked, covered only by Caroline's multicolored blanket, laying half on the mattress they'd dragged into the tomb, and half on her lap. "One day I could bite and kill you."

"Elena and Damon still have some of Klaus' blood left, if you ever bite me I'll just drink some of that." She whispered, softly caressing the head resting on her lap, her fingers slipping through his soaked hair tenderly. "I'm not leaving you alone ever, Tyler. I've been here for you since your first transformation and I'm going to be here for you during each and every one if I have any say in it."

"I don't want you to get hurt." Tyler pulled closer, hugging her lower body awkwardly with one hand. "I couldn't handle you getting hurt. Especially not if I hurt you."

"You won't." She promised, pulling the blanket tighter around him, rubbing him over the material, trying to bring more warmth into his cold body. "Tyler, I trust you, even when you're snarling and baring your fangs at me, I can't leave because I trust you and I know deep inside that you won't let the wolf hurt me."

"I'm not in control when I shift." Tyler whispered desperately. "I could break out and kill the whole of Mystic Falls. I could kill my own _mother_ and-."

"But you won't." Caroline stopped him from going any further. "You _won't_. I won't let you. I will _never_ let you hurt someone, trust me, Tyler."

"I do." He closed his eyes and tightened his grip on her as much as he could while still in agony. "Caroline, you're the only person I trust in this whole world."

She smiled, leaning hard against the wall of the underground room, and just continued to caress his hair until he drifted off into sleep, proving once more just how much he trusted her.

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"How many Decades Dances does this school _have_?" Alaric complained as they walked towards the parking lot. Caroline's car was giving trouble so she'd hitched a ride with Tyler that morning, but since Elena had called some sort of emergency meeting at the Salvatore's the blonde was now hitching one with their school teacher/monster hunter/father figure.

"How many decades are there?" Caroline chirped back, actually quite psyched at the thought of the upcoming dance. "Your answer lies there."

"Oh great." Alaric grumbled, reaching his car. "And somehow I end up getting roped to chaperone each and every one of them. Why is that?"

"Because you're scared of Mrs. Humphreys?" Caroline gave a cheeky smile, thinking of the large and burly girls' P.E. coach.

Alaric smirked. "She does look like she could take me on."

"Oh, she could." Caroline agreed, giggling.

"Caroline!"

She turned at the sound of his voice, smile brightening. "Tyler!"

He reached them, having jogged from the field where he should be practicing football with the others. "What's going on? You can't wait till practice is over? I told you I'd take you back home."

"Oh, don't worry, Rick's giving me a ride." Caroline smiled brighter.

"Rick. Right." Tyler cleared his throat, annoyance obvious on his every feature. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

Caroline's smile slipped slightly in confusion. "Why not?"

"People will start to talk if they see you drive off with the teacher." Tyler replied carefully, not having gazed at said teacher once since arriving. "I'm not saying anything improper is happening," he slipped an arm around her shoulder. "But you wouldn't want to give _Mr. Saltzman_ any trouble, right Care?"

Caroline frowned, not having thought of that.

"It's not going to be a problem if I give her a lift _once_." Alaric sounded inappropriately amused despite the seriousness of the conversation. "Though I'm sure Caroline appreciates how worried you are about her reputation, Mr. Lockwood."

A muscle jumped in Tyler's cheek as he finally looked up at their history teacher, eyes flashing gold in annoyance.

"Hey Lockwood!" The coach yelled. "Get your ass over here we're still training!"

"Go on Ty." Caroline smiled, shooing him away. "I'll see you later."

The teen werewolf looked between them before growling and storming back to the field.

Caroline watched him go, frowning as she shook her head. "He really needs to get a control of his emotions. It's making him act out for no reason at all." She turned to Alaric. "And we still don't know if intense emotions might trigger a transformation or-!"

Alaric smiled at her, amused. "So how long have you two been dating?"

"Dating?" Caroline's eyes widened and she blushed, which she had once thought was impossible considering she was a vampire, but once you kept drinking blood regularly your body acted as if it still believed it was human. "We are _not_ dating! Tyler and I are _only_ friends! Nothing more!"

She slipped into the car, missing Tyler turning in the distance and glaring at her before slamming his fist into the back of the bleachers, bending part of the metal slightly.

Alaric noticed and smirked, shaking his head as he slipped into his car and started the engine. "You two being careful full moons?"

"Course we are. I have no intention of being the wolf's chew toy." She informed him, beginning to fiddle with the radio stations since his choice of music just wasn't going to cut it. "About this emergency meeting..." she sighed, looking up at him. "Do you think they've managed to find Stefan and Klaus?"

Alaric didn't answer right away, backing out of the parking lot and joining the traffic first. "I don't know."

"What if we do find them? Then what?" Caroline chewed on her thumbnail, worried. "Stefan made a deal-how do we get him out of it? Klaus doesn't look the type to give into heartfelt pleas."

"We'll find a way." Alaric promised her.

She wished she could believe him.

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She sensed him and jolted up, eyes wide.

Looking around the room, she slipped out of the bed she was sharing with Elena and Bonnie. Poor Elena had been distraught, or more than usual at least. They'd been following Klaus' massacres throughout Europe, the work of a really bad "Ripper" Damon said the term was, and all information was pointing Stefan actively joining in with the bloodbaths. He was obviously off the bandwagon again, a slave to his bloodlust and Klaus' commands. They knew that Stefan had only agreed to this to save Damon, and that he was 'paying off' for Klaus' blood, but both Stefan and Caroline knew that it was so much more than that. Alaric, Bonnie, Jeremy...hell...even Elena couldn't understand what Stefan was going through right now.

Not like Damon and Caroline.

They knew what it was like to battle with the bloodlust, the thirst to kill, and how every day was a struggle. They knew that as a vampire, their instinct was to drain the blood from humans, to revel in it, and knew that once you'd gone a certain distance it was almost impossible to ever come back. It was a fear they shared, and though they never said it out loud, their shared gazes said all that needed to be said.

Caroline slipped out of the house and hurried down the walkway in a short lacy gown and bunny slippers, turning when she sensed him once more, finding him standing behind her. "What are you doing here? You _know_ Damon's still sulking over you biting him!"

Tyler was silent for a moment, eyes wide and on her.

She gazed down at herself, realizing that she'd forgotten her housecoat, hugging herself with a blush. "You shouldn't be here."

Clearing his throat, Tyler ran his hands over his head. "You didn't call me, I got worried."

"I can't protect you from Damon if he realizes you're here. He's too strong." Caroline reached out and grabbed Tyler's arm, beginning to escort him down the walkway to the path in the woods. She figured he'd parked his car a little distance from the house since she hadn't heard an engine. "And I don't have Stefan here anymore for backup so-."

"I have your back." Tyler frowned at her.

"I know that Tyler, but in your human form you're no match for Damon." Caroline told it as it was, relieved when she saw his car in the distance.

"So what? You're saying you can't rely on me?" He growled. "That I can't protect you?"

This was becoming more and more of an issue in their relationship, his incessant need to protect her. Caroline didn't know if it was guilt left over from his epic failure to do so when she'd gotten taken by Brady and Jules, but Tyler was somewhat overdoing it. His overprotectiveness had only gotten worse over time, and she didn't know exactly what to do about it. Of course she was flattered and happy to know he wanted to protect her, especially since their natures were that of enemies, but she couldn't have him annoying Damon in his human form. Caroline couldn't trust Damon not to do something stupid like kill Tyler. If he did then Caroline would never forgive Damon, which meant that she'd be in the enmity with Elena because without Stefan Elena and Damon were getting uncomfortably close. Bonnie...Caroline wasn't sure whose side Bonnie would take if Damon killed Tyler...so this was just a huge mess and she was going to do everything she could to make sure it never got to that.

"With every full moon I'm getting stronger." Tyler frowned. "And I know how to take care of myself even when I'm in human form, Caroline. Jules and her group taught me that much."

She let go of him, knowing all too well how good they were at handling a vampire while still in their human forms.

"Oh fuck, Care, I didn't mean-." Tyler turned to her, eyes wide. "You know I would never-!"

"I know." She whispered, hugging herself, looking away from him with a sigh. "Please go."

"Care..." Tyler whispered, going to her and placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to catch her eyes. "Care, I would _never _hurt you. I only want to protect you. I'm _trying_ to protect you."

"And I'm trying to protect _you_!" Caroline growled as she finally let him catch her eyes, glaring at him. "I don't want you dead, Tyler! I don't want Damon to have done yet _another_ stupid thing in anger and sulkiness for which he'll latter bat his sorrowful eyes at Elena for and have her forgive him!"

Tyler frowned, tightening his hold on her. "Those two have been getting very close. I wonder how Stefan would feel knowing this."

"Don't." Caroline frowned at him. "When someone leaves someone else behind, they can _not_ blame them for getting closer to the ones who didn't leave her."

"Are you saying that because I left you I can't be pissed that you grew closer to _Damon_?" Tyler snarled, shaking her. "Unlike Stefan _I came back_, and-!"

"Damon has nothing to do with this!"

"He has everything to do with this!" Tyler snapped at her. "He and Stefan and Elena! They have everything to do with this! If it wasn't for them you wouldn't be a vampire and the circumstances wouldn't have happened that made me a werewolf!"

Caroline gulped, because she really couldn't argue with that. "We wouldn't have become friends, though. I'd still think you were an asshole manwhore and you'd still think I was a ditsy bitch."

This time it's him who can't argue with that, and he just pulls her into his arms and holds her tight.

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"Caroline."

She stopped, freezing, before taking a deep breath and turning to face her ex. "Matt."

He stood there, wearing his Grill uniform, obviously uncomfortable yet determined. "Hi."

She smiled sadly at how badly things had deteriorated between her and the boy she'd once envisioned herself marrying.

Matt cleared his throat, looking everywhere but at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "My mom didn't stake me, if that's what you're asking."

He flinched. "_Care_...I'm sorry."

"I know. Me too." She whispered, biting her bottom lip, feeling close to tears. She didn't love Matt anymore but she'd always have a fondness for him, and it hurt.

"Do you need anything?" He asked, awkward.

She managed a more genuine smile. "No, but thank you for asking. It means a lot."

He finally looked at her. So many emotions crossed his face, warring with each other. Matt opened his mouth to say something before glancing over her shoulder and quickly looking away. "I have to go."

"Okay." She nodded, watching him leave.

"What did _he_ want?" Tyler asked from behind her, before slipping an arm around her shoulders in a natural, familiar movement.

"To see how I was doing." She replied, leaning her head against his chest, seeking comfort. "To apologize."

Tyler tightened his hold on her. "Let's go, dinner and a movie at my place, mom's gone for the weekend so we don't have to worry about her."

Caroline smiled, thinking of their little routine of spending nights together at his or her place, eating junk food that would never fatten either of them, and watching movies they would rather die than admit having watched if ever questioned. Those moments with Tyler Lockwood, they were becoming more and more precious to her, and a part of her told her to cherish them as if they were her last.

She knew Klaus was gone, and now that his transformation was complete he had no reason to come back to Mystic Falls, but something about him still scared her. What if he came back just because he was pissed that they'd almost stopped him, almost killed him?

She and Tyler were supposed to have been sacrificed, would have been if it wasn't for Damon...

...she wondered if Klaus, once he put his mind to something, allowed himself to be distracted for long.

Afraid at those thoughts, Caroline hugged Tyler and let him lead her out of the way, carrying the takeout bag from the Grill with their dinner in his free hand.

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When it happens it isn't planned, isn't expected and yet isn't surprising. She's forcing him to watch Eclipse and he's bitching on how Bella should choose the werewolf over the vampire, and she's defending her own species against his. They mock fight, calling out all the reasons why having a lover of their species is the better option. Somehow, somewhere along the laughter and mocks and throwing of popcorn she's under him, and he's pinning her down. Her eyes are black, her fangs are out, and the veins are prominent. His own fangs are peeking, his eyes that inhumane gold.

Its fast and furious and lasts most of the night

It's painful yet perfect.

It's animalistic.

It's monstrous.

It's supposedly against their nature...

...and yet as they lay naked and curled together on the floor, it feels more than right.

It feels like evolution.

Caroline doesn't even notice that Tyler has bitten her until later the next day.

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It's not healing.

Caroline looked around her in a very suspicious manner before pulling down her shirt's neck, revealing the very visible mark on her shoulder. It was a bite mark. A bite mark from a werewolf. A bite mark from a werewolf which wasn't healing. A bite mark from a werewolf which wasn't healing and thus could very well be killing her.

Sure, it wasn't getting all ugly and deformed and spreading out like it had with Rose and Damon, and she wasn't having any weird fatigue or onslaughts of dementia...but it wasn't _healing_. If anything it seemed to be beginning to _scar_, as in leaving a _permanent mark_ on her skin. She hadn't wanted to worry anyone, especially Tyler, so she hadn't mentioned it. She'd gone about her day as normal before ditching Tyler at the end of the day to head to the Salvatore Boarding House. Damon and Elena were gone for a couple of days, following some lead from some witch who might know something that could help them get back Stefan and deal with Klaus forever, so that meant Caroline could search the house for wherever it was that Elena and Damon had hid the bottle of the hybrid's blood.

She searched high and low, about tearing the place apart in her fear and desperation, before collapsing in Elena's room for a good cry. It was only the fact that she could scent _sex_ on the bed that pulled her out of her own drama, as she took in deep whiffs of what was probably the evidence of a Gilbert/Salvatore dalliance which had taken place not three days ago.

Oh boy.

Shocked out of her wits, Caroline went to Elena's vanity and sat down, staring at her reflection in despair.

She pulled down the neck of her shirt once more, eyeing the bite.

It was definitely becoming a scar, almost done, actually. Yet it didn't pain. Caroline pressed against the bite, and other than it being a little sore like any bite should be, it wasn't really all that painful. And the veiny things of doom had yet to appear.

Caroline stared at her reflection, frowning, before lowering her gaze at the many bottle of perfumes on Elena's vanity. The blonde trifled through them halfheartedly, before her hands froze on a very exquisite bottle, one blending in perfectly with the others, one almost full with red, metallic liquid.

Blue eyes widened as the young vampire picked up the bottle and undid the cap, smelling the blood immediately.

"Yes!" She grinned, taking a sip of the blood, knowing only a little was necessary and not wanting to deplete the supply.

Immediately she could feel the skin around the bite tingly as she screwed back on the cover and put the bottle back in its hiding place, eyeing her bite mark.

It still didn't heal.

It still didn't go away.

But it completely scarred, and when she poked at it it wasn't even sore anymore.

Confused, the blonde looked up at her reflection, wondering exactly what that meant.

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The next time they have sex he bites her again, going by instinct, once again not noticing what he's done. This time instead of the pain, as his fangs slide into the scar already there because of him Caroline came with fierce pleasure, biting him back.

Once again, Tyler didn't remember biting her, snoring peacefully, arms around her tightly, possessively, even in his sleep.

Again and again, every time they screw, he bites her.

She hasn't sipped Klaus' blood since that first time.

She hasn't died.

Maybe it's because Tyler's biting her while he's still human that's kept her alive...she isn't sure.

When he finally _does_ realize he's bitten her he's scared and desperate and yelling at her that they need to go to the Salvatores' for the cure immediately. It takes half an hour to get him to calm down enough to confess, to tell him that he's bitten her before, to actually show him the mark. Whenever they've been intimate he's usually in an animalistic frenzy and tends not to notice things like that, but now that she's showing it to him he's pale and pissed and destroying things around him as he vents, telling her she'd had no right to put herself in that danger and not tell him _again_.

"We're not supposed to keep secrets anymore!" He snarled viciously, pinning her to the wall, surprisingly strong despite being in his human shape. "Once again you put your life in danger and left me blind to the fact that I could have killed you!"

"But you didn't, Tyler." She tried to comfort, tried to get him to see. "I'm okay. You keep biting me, and I'm _okay_. It's just a love bite. It's not going to hurt me. You're in human form."

"But it could have been different." He snarled, not letting her forget. "I could have lost you! I could have killed you!"

She shook her head, knowing words aren't going to get her out of this.

He's reacting like a wounded animal, and she knows not to crowd a wounded animal because it might lash out and attack in fear.

"I could have _killed_ you." Tyler whispered, hoarse, as he leaned his forehead against her. "How could you let me take that chance?"

She slips one of her wrists out of his hold and uses it to cup the back of his head, closing her own eyes as she leaned her forehead a little harder against his own.

They're silent, and his breaths slowly even out to their normal pace, and then he's kissing her, desperately, angrily, worriedly.

Caroline kisses back, knowing they both need this comfort.

When they have sex after that he now knows he's biting her, but those bites heal, every bite heals except for that first one.

He asks her why.

She doesn't have an answer.

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Caroline looked around her, terrified. She didn't know what to do, where to go. It was a full moon and Tyler had been more vicious than ever, the wolf more aggressive, more desperate to get out and have her for supper. She'd had to abandon him and run as the wolf began knocking down the door, and now she ran throughout the forest. She had to keep him occupied, keep him focused on her, or he'd go after some human and she knew he'd never forgive himself. She'd promised she'd never let him kill someone, and the young vampire refused to go against her word, even if it got her killed.

Suddenly something jumped at her, pushing her to the ground.

Tyler's wolf stood over her, snarling.

Caroline closed her eyes, a tear making it way down her face as she turned her head away, waiting for a bite that never came.

Above her the wolf whimpered, and began lapping at her tears.

Caroline's eyes widened and she turned to look up at the wolf as it lowered itself from on top of her and nudged her with its nose. "_Tyler_?"

The wolf sniffed at her shoulder, licking at the mark he'd left there as a human, before throwing himself onto her lap and turning so his feet were in the air, his tail wagging.

Shocked and confused, Caroline hesitated, before reaching down and scratching his tummy.

The wolf's tongue hung out, panting happily.

Completely fascinated, Caroline let herself relax as she petted him, unable to believe that this was really happening. She expected to wake up any second now to find Damon in her room, having messed with her dreams, and taunting her on how this would _never_ happen in real life. And yet she wasn't waking up.

Suddenly Tyler snarled and jumped to his feet, causing Caroline to scream and throw herself to the ground, reading for him to kill her.

And yet Tyler got up in time for a larger, fiercer wolf to rush him, attacking viciously.

"No!" Caroline screamed, stumbling to her feet. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

The fight was vicious and bloody, and while Tyler held his own he was still young, and much smaller than this other monster. He collapsed to the ground, whimpering, transforming to his naked, broken human self.

The large wolf stood over the human, about to finish the job.

"_No_!" Caroline snarled, barreling into the wolf and throwing it away from her unofficial boyfriend. "I will _not_ let you hurt him!"

The wolf turns towards her before suddenly it isn't a wolf anymore. Bones are cracking, fur falls away, and howls turn to screams as the wolf becomes a man.

A very naked man.

A very _dangerous_, naked man.

"_Klaus_." Caroline whispers in horror, wanting to run far far away and yet refusing to leave Tyler here injured.

"Hello _Caroline_." He smiled, standing, covered in dirt and not much more. "When I decided to save you and the wolf, I knew you two wouldn't be boring, but I didn't let myself stop to hope that this could be possible."

"What could be possible?" She frowned. "What are you doing back in Mystic Falls? And what do you _mean_ you saved us? You were going to sacrifice us!"

"If I was planning on truly sacrificing you, would it have been so easy for _Damon_ and a human to save you?" Klaus asked curiously. "Why else would I already have had the extra wolf and dear Aunt Jenna?"

Caroline took an unwanted step backwards. "What do you want?"

"As you know, I'm the first of my kind, a mix of vampire and werewolf." Kalus declared, walking slowly towards her. "As such I've always been fascinated by interactions between the two species, and while I have seen very rare romantic interludes between them, like Katerina and Mason, those were all because the vampire needed the werewolf for something. Katherina needed a werewolf so she compelled Mason's friend to not stop fighting him until he was killed, triggering the curse, and Mason truly didn't trust her, which was why he'd hidden the moonstone at the bottom of a Vervain-filled well."

Apparently Stefan had gotten chatty after falling off the bandwagon.

"But you and this wolf, what you had was pure...and that intrigued me." Klaus replied. "I thought...maybe...and here you have proven me correct."

"I'm not following." She sent Tyler a worried look before returning her attention to Klaus, gasping and backing into a tree when she found him right in front of her.

"You're of use to me." Klaus replied.

"I'm no _Ripper_." She spat the word, furious at this dude for what he'd done to Stefan. "I will be of _no use whatsoever_ in this new world order."

He smiled, and it was frightening. "But the contrary my dear, you have a _very_ important role. And now I've come for you." He gazed deep within her eyes. "I _will_ Compel you if you don't comply, but I would prefer it if you came of your own free will."

"_Caroline_?" Tyler whispered, hoarse, in pain.

Tears came to her eyes as she looked at him. "_Ty_."

Klaus reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

She gulped, feeling the compulsion was near. "Let me call for help for him, and I'll go with you. I promise."

Klaus eyed her before letting go, motioning for her to do so.

Caroline pulled out her phone and called Bonnie. "Bonnie?"

"Caroline?" Bonnie was worried. "What's wrong?"

"Bonnie listen to me, I don't have much time." Her voice broke. "I'm out in the woods, close to the old Lockwood underground chamber. Tyler-he's in human form and he's injured really badly. I need you and everyone to come here and find him. I need you to make sure he lives Bonnie."

"We're on our way." Bonnie quickly whispered something to someone who was most probably Jeremy, before speaking once more. "Why can't you bring him to us Caroline? What's going on? Something's not right, I can feel it."

Caroline turned to look at Klaus, those tears falling. "Klaus is here and I've made a deal with him. He'll let Tyler live and in return I'll leave with him."

"_What_? _No!_" Bonnie cried out. "Caroline! Don't do it! We're on our way."

"He's really injured Bonnie." Caroline sobbed, eyeing the broken Tyler. "You can't let him die. _Please_ don't let him die! Promise me this!"

"Caroline-!"

"_Bonnie please_!" Caroline fell to her knees. "_Please_! I _love_ him!"

Bonnie is crying, it's obvious in her voice. "I promise."

"_Thank you_." Caroline whispered. "I love you all."

And with that she hangs up. She lets the phone fall to the ground before going to Tyler, ripping open her own wrist, feeding him her blood, healing him as much as she can, but she's soon ripped away from him and in Klaus' steely arms.

"Shall we?" He asked, as if she had any choice in the matter.

Sending one last look in Tyler's direction, the blonde nods, and they're gone.

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They're in Bulgaria of all places, the old Petrova castle.

Caroline doesn't leave her room, refuses to eat, refuses to speak...until Stefan appears. He's not her Stefan, it's more than obvious, but there's still enough of him in there that he hugs her and holds her tight as she cries. He tells her that it gets better, in time, but whispers for her to never shut off her emotion no matter how much she might want to. It was the only thing they had left that kept them somewhat human, even if the emotions they felt were self-hatred and pain. He coaxes her into drinking from some blood bags but promises her that in the future, if she wishes to feed, it will have to be on humans.

It is Klaus' way.

"Why am I here, Stefan?" Caroline whispered as they sat on her bed, leaning against each other. "Why did he take me?"

"You mean you haven't figured it out already?" A voice asked from the door.

Caroline looked up, eyes widening when she saw the last person she would have expected. "_Katherine_?"

"This is my old family castle, why is my being here so surprising?" The brunette wanted to know, sauntering into the room and throwing herself on the bed next to them. "I always told Stefan I'd bring him here one of these days and we'd make love in my parent's room." She frowned. "Of course since it's the most majestic room in the castle _Klaus_ has taken it over...but half of the promise is complete at least."

Caroline looked between the smug Katherine and the slightly guilty Stefan and realized that Elena and Damon weren't the only ones who'd...crossed a line...during this separation. "Oh."

Katherine grinned, obviously happy that at least one of Elena's friends _knew_, and that apparently made her feel generous. "You mated with that wolf, that's supposedly impossible."

"Why?" Caroline frowned. "You slept with Mason."

Stefan made a face at the reminder.

Katherine grinned cheekier. "I slept with Mason but we weren't mated. When there was a full moon I was out of there faster than you can saw Wham Bam Thank you Ma'am. Word is you were marked by a wolf, and full moon came and he wanted a tummy rub."

Caroline sat up straighter. "That's what this is all about? My bite mark?"

Katherine reached out and pulled the neck of her shirt away, eyeing the mark. "It means you're marked as dog property. He claimed you, Caroline, he claimed you as his. His wolf knew you were his, vampire or not." She twirled a curl around her finger. "I suppose you've exchanged blood?"

Cold fingers of dread crept up her spine as she nodded. "Yes."

"Each time you did you strengthened that bond. He claimed you for the wolf and you accepted it. You're mated. Married. Mazel tov." Katherine declared with a shrug. "I'm figuring he bit you in human form, you drank Klaus' blood, then he bit you again and you bit him."

Caroline nodded slowly.

"Right, so you basically signed your contract to be a dog's bitch." Katherine explained with an evil grin, before pouting. "And in the wolf world, wolves usually mate for life or until one of the mates dies. And, very rarely, a wolf may change mates." She turned onto her back, gazing up at them like a cat. "So really, your wolf's life is all in your hands. Klaus will have his way either way."

"Wait, _what_?" Caroline stood, pulling away from the others, backing away. "What are you talking about?"

"Caroline, please calm down." Stefan sighed. "It's not going to do you any good overreacting."

"Overreacting? Stefan?" Caroline shrieked. "Your _girlfriend_ just insinuated that Klaus wants to _mate_ with me!"

"I stated, never insinuated." Katherine corrected. "And stop worrying...I'm sure he's a _great_ lover."

Stefan sent her a look. "Katherine? Shut up."

She grinned at him. "I love it when you're forceful."

Stefan smirked at her.

Caroline looked between them and shrieked, pulling at her hair. "_Stop it! Stop freaking me out more than I already I_!"

"Klaus is the father of a new race, I think it makes sense he wants to start the _fathering_ part." Katherine rolled her eyes. "And, well, you're going to be the one to help him do it."

"I can't help him _father_ anything! I'm a vampire! Unless it has escaped your notice, Katherine, we can't get pregnant!" Caroline snapped at her.

"You will if he changes you." Stefan gazed up at her earnestly. "Which he will. He's going to make you like him, and then you'll have the wolf gene in you, and werewolves _can_ bare children."

Caroline's eyes widened in horror and she sunk to her knees. "_Why me?_"

"Because if he's gonna mate with someone, he wants to do it with someone whom he already _knows_ is compatible with a wolf of course." Katherine declared, standing up. "I'm bored. I'm gonna go eat someone."

And with that she left.

Caroline felt so numb as she looked up at Stefan. "I don't want this."

He got up and knelt down in front of her, hugging her tightly as the tears returned.

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She fed from him.

Caroline didn't know whether to be grateful that he hadn't required she take a life yet or be terrified to know that with every drop of his blood she took she was changing. She hadn't wanted to do it at first, had refused to, but then he'd looked into her eyes and Compelled her to, and she had. He'd Compelled her to _love it_, and she did, even though her stomach revolted as she knew she was playing into his scheme. This reminded her of her pseudo relationship with Damon all over again, the powerlessness, the mercilessness of the one who held her captive for his own means and entertainment. When he realized that she wouldn't stop begging Stefan to escape with her she'd gotten Compelled to love it there, to want to be there, and Klaus promised her that once it was true she'd have the Compulsion taken from her.

It'd never be lifted.

She didn't want to be there, never would.

She wanted to be in Mystic Falls, with her friends, with _Tyler_.

She wanted _Tyler_.

"He's alive, you know." Katherine mumbled one night in the doorway, leaning her head against the doorframe. "Your wolf boy? He's alive."

Caroline looked up from where she'd been crying deep inside, and yet outwardly drawing idly. "He is?"

"Yep." Katherine declared, entering the room and sitting down next to her, eyeing the very badly drawn image of Tyler Lockwood. "He's teamed up with _Damon_ of all people. Hilarious really. But both of them have a bone to settle with Klaus and I guess Miss Goodie Two Shoes Elena is behind their alliance." Katherine made up her face. "She annoys me _so much_."

Inside Caroline was screaming and squealing and bouncing with joy at the news of Tyler being alive, outwardly she only managed a smile, the Compulsion fighting her that much. "Katherine, you're a bitch."

"And you're whiney." Katherine countered.

Brown and blue eyes met, before two sets of lips smiled at each other.

"You also suck at drawing." Katherine chuckled, leaning closer. "That looks nothing like him."

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"My blood is almost completely powering your system." Klaus stroked her hair as they lay in his bed, clothed as he refused to do anything sexual until she had changed. "Once all taints of other blood is gone, I will make you like me, and together we will begin the new race."

Caroline rested her head on his chest, staring at the fire. "Wouldn't it have been easier to do this with a human?"

"Both wolves and vampires hunt humans, she'd be dead before she could drink enough of my blood." Klaus dismissed that idea completely. "A vampire able to bond with a wolf on the other hand...both sides of me accept that."

She thinks about Tyler, because Klaus has yet to Compel her not to, trying to pretend he's the one caressing her hair.

She dreams about Tyler as well, and she thinks its these little things that keep her from going completely insane.

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Klaus kills her once he feeds from her and tastes only his blood.

Once she comes back she can feel the difference, feel the change.

It's scary and new and reminds her of what Tyler said he'd felt before his first transformation.

She's whimpering on the ground, screaming as the transformation begins to take place, her body realigning, and thus misses half of what's going on. Klaus is weakened by the power she's drawing from him for her shift, powering her change.

Caroline doesn't notice when the witches get slaughtered by Damon and Stefan.

Or when two Elenas rush into the room with a revived Elijah of all people right behind them.

She didn't notice Tyler Lockwood, Jeremy Gilbert, and Alaric Saltzman, armed to the teeth with vampire hunting gear, kicking ass.

Her bones are realigning, her insides are in flames, her skin is beginning to crack.

The pain keeps her from noticing Bonnie uttering words to some ancient spell, magic exploding around them dangerously, Klaus falling to his knees as Elijah slowly and determinedly made his way to his fallen brother.

Right before Klaus' heart is ripped out of his chest, Caroline screams as the transformation is over, and everything blacks out.

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She dreams about the time when Tyler Lockwood throws her out of his sandbox and she pulls kicks his shin before running away.

"_Care..."_

She dreams about the time Tyler Lockwood calls her Brace Face and she dumps her cafeteria tray filled with food all over his head.

"_Baby please_..."

She dreams about the time Tyler Lockwood first called her a bitch and she called him a manwhore, words they would refer to each other by for years to come.

"_Wake up..."_

She dreams about the time Tyler Lockwood drunkenly tells her she's pretty and kisses her, before stumbling away to vomit somewhere in the bushes behind her. He doesn't remember this afterwards when he's sober, and if he does, he pretends he doesn't.

_"Please..."_

She dreams about the time Tyler Lockwood first transformed, and she held him tightly as he shivered, and she knew deep inside that she wasn't ever going to be able to ever go back to being the way she had been with him ever again.

"_I need you to open your eyes..."_

She dreams about the time Tyler Lockwood hugged her after Matt broke her heart, and she knew somehow that he was never going to allow anyone else to ever break her heart ever again.

"OPEN YOUR EYES GODDAMMIT!"

And so she did, blinking a couple of times to grow used to the light.

One day she'd dream about the time Tyler Lockwood cried for her.

"Tyler?" She whispered, unable to believe he was really there.

"_Care_." He whispered, cupping her face, gazing down at her. "Don't you _ever_ do that to me again! _Never_!"

She smiled up at him. "Tyler, I dreamt about you."

He just looked down at her and kissed her.

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Mystic Falls...things seemed so different now.

Stefan and Katherine (who'd both been scheming to kill Klaus for a _very_ long time) had decided not to go back, and instead continue on together. Caroline kept in touch with them frequently, and had promised to come and visit one of these years.

Damon and Elena settled into their new relationship, still traumatizing Caroline sometimes with how _open_ they were about having sex all over the Boarding House no matter the time of day or if people were supposed to be arriving for meetings to deal with the big baddies that arrived.

Bonnie and Jeremy were basically an old married couple, with Bonnie living over at the Gilbert's Residence.

Alaric had taken up with Isobel's old research assistant, and still continued playing daddy for the younger 'kids', Caroline and Tyler apparently included.

Elijah hadn't stuck around long, only enough to tell Caroline that when she would need him (and he assured her she would) he would be near.

And Tyler...well...Tyler wasn't leaving her side any time soon.

Things in Mystic Falls were very different, but that didn't exactly mean they were bad.

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"When exactly were you going to tell me?" Tyler glared at her. "Dammit Caroline! You keep keeping secrets from me! I can't believe I had to find out about something like this from _Damon!_"

Caroline bit down on her bottom lip, sighing as she was scolded. "It was too embarrassing to say Tyler! Plus, it sounded conceited. And you might think I was only trying to get a commitment out of you!"

"You're my _mate_!" Tyler growled, straddling her on her bed. "We have a commitment whether you like it or not!"

"I'm not saying I didn't want a commitment!" She gasped.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Sounds like you were trying to weasel out of it to me!"

"I was _not_!" She slapped at his thighs in rebellion. "I have always been accused of being the clingy, neurotic, possessive girlfriend and it's driven away every guy I've ever liked! That's why I never told you we were mates! I didn't want to scare you off like I have guys before!"

"Lets not talk about Matt right now." Tyler snarled. "I couldn't be in _less_ of the mood to talk about him."

"I'm not talking about Matt in specific." She tried to clear. "I'm talking about all the many different guys I've dated in the past."

His eyes went gold. "Not, helping, Forbes."

She realized that, and hesitated, before smiling up at him. "Would it help if I said I'm very _happy_ to be your mate?"

He paused, anger melting from his face as he gazed down at her. "You are?"

She smiled brighter. "Yeah."

Tyler smiled cockily. "Well, of course you are."

Caroline laughed before pulling him down to her, lips devouring his.

She was going to have to work up the courage to tell him about the slight possibility that she could one day have his child.

Hopefully Elena hadn't opened her big mouth and told Damon about _that_, because if he told Tyler about the possibility of daddy-hood before Caroline got the guts, well...

The vampire just kissed Tyler harder.

She'd think about that later.

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**Review?**


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